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Fire Marshal Discovers Arson--And Humanity

The job of a fire marshal in the Unitedknow him."
States is often like the job of aA government official, a mysterious
private investigator: thankless andfire, a political radical, a
fascinating. But a privateconfrontation. In most situations, this
investigator's role is usually punitive:would be a clear opportunity for power
figure out who's scamming the insuranceand authority to assume their roles, for
company, say, or where the ex-convictthe government official to make clear,
who broke parole ran to. A good firepunitive statements. But that's not
marshal, on the other hand, neverwhat Maldonado--a fire marshal, after
forgets one critical rule: fire safetyall, did.
comes first, no matter what."To the person or persons responsible
Paul Maldonado, fire marshal for thefor this crime I would like to relay a
State of Texas, was called in tomessage," said Maldonado in the same
investigate the recent fire at theconference. "We are concerned with your
Austin mansion of Governor Rick Perry.safety."
In retrospect, it must have seemedHe went on to explain: the video footage
inevitable that the building would beshowed a man with some experience
targeted for arson. Perry, formerthrowing incendiary devices. Fire is a
lieutenant Governor under Presidentterrible thing to experiment with,
Bush, inherited much of the ill willwarned Maldonado. The arsonist chose a
that the student population in Austindangerous means of sending a message to
held for the Texas Republicans, and histhe governor--dangerous not only to the
reign as Governor was marked bymansion, but to the arsonist. And more:
occasional scandal and a risingMaldonado said that he appreciated,
discontent among the electorate. Theabove all, the willingness of the
2007 announcement that the Governor'sarsonist to wait until the Governor was
mansion would be remodeled to the tuneaway, until the mansion was deserted, to
of $10 million--including aset his fire.
state-of-the-art fire suppression"We will not forget that," the fire
system--must have been, in retrospect,marshal said.
the last straw. On the night of June 8,The investigation goes on, of course.
2008, that straw burst into flames.But what it reveals about the
Maldonado and his video surveillanceinvestigator is almost more fascinating
team knew who the suspect was--roughly,than the eventual identity of the
of course. He fit the establishedculprit. It's rare to find a public
profile: young, twenty-something,official who truly concerns himself with
athletic. Angry, even. In a presswhat's really important in criminal
conference, Maldonado proposed that thismatters: the threat to public safety,
anger was the cause of the arson. Heand the value of human life. It takes a
might be angry "at the death penalty--fire marshal, in the end, to say that he
and other political issues," Maldonadoappreciates his quarry for valuing human
said. "His feelings of anger andlife.
frustration will be noted by people who



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